Police, Interior Ministry ranked top in EACC graft survey

October 1, 2018 5:13 pm

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The study conducted September 18 and October 24, 2017 indicates that 23 per cent of the respondents perceived the National Police Service as the government agency most prone to corruption while the National Police Service Commission came second with 13 per cent/file

By LABAN WANAMBISI, NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 1 – The Kenya Police Service has once again topped the list of most corrupt government departments in a survey by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

The study conducted September 18 and October 24, 2017 indicates that 23 per cent of the respondents perceived the National Police Service as the government agency most prone to corruption while the National Police Service Commission came second with 13 per cent, followed by public hospitals at 9.8 per cent, Kenya Revenue Authority (8 per cent), National Land Commission (7.3 percent), National Transport and Safety Authority (4.9 per cent) and Immigration Department (4.3 per cent).

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The Ministry of Interior emerged top among ministries and other Arms of Government after 64.7 per cent of the respondents interviewed claimed they had been asked for a bribe in order to obtain services. It was followed by the Ministries of Health (27.8 per cent) and Lands (23.9 per cent) respectively.

The Transport Ministry was ranked fourth at 13 per cent followed by the Ministries of Education (11.7 per cent) and Devolution (10.3 per cent).

Another 17.8 per cent of the interviewed respondents mentioned the Finance and Planning Department in County Governments as the one perceived to be most prone to corruption followed by County Health Services including ambulance, health facilities and cemeteries (15.2 per cent) and county transport (which includes county roads, street lighting, traffic and parking) at 12.6 per cent.

Some 43.6 percent of the respondents ranked corruption first as the leading problem facing the country having emerged third in the 2016 survey.

Poverty (37 per cent), unemployment (32.2 per cent), unfavourable economic conditions (22.2 per cent) and political instability (21.8 per cent) were listed as the other problems.

The survey was conducted across the 47 counties and interviewed 5,977 household respondents and 15 key informants who sought government services in form of asking for information, assistance, requesting a document or other administrative procedures.

Twenty two per cent of the respondents said prosecution and jailing of persons engaged in corrupt and unethical conduct is the most important measure to reduce corruption in the country.

LABAN WANAMBISI Laban Wanambisi is a Parliamentary and Political reporter. He joined the Capital Newsteam in 2005. Since then, he has reported on many of the major news events over the years including his first major assignment covering the 2005 National Referendum on the Draft Constitution, and several other subsequent key national and international events.